A year after the Vikings owners were hit with a $103M civil judgment "for defrauding business partners in New Jersey, ZYGI WILF and his family are trying to overturn a verdict that tarnished their image," according to Mike Kaszuba of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. Meanwhile, the Vikings owners have made "a series of other moves in Minnesota -- including contributing an additional" $50M toward the team’s $1B stadium since November '13 -- that "could also generate a more favorable view of the Wilf family." Vikings President MARK WILF last month "served lunch to construction workers at the new taxpayer-supported stadium." The Wilfs "declined to comment on how the family is now viewed." Vikings Exec VP/Public Affairs & Stadium Development LESTER BAGLEY said that the legal ruling "affected the New Jersey-based owners." Bagley: “The judge’s comments were particularly harsh, and really uncalled for." However, he added, "The Wilfs are not investing additional dollars in the stadium (or making other moves) because of that.’’ Bagley said that the Wilfs were instead "keeping to a strategy of making investments in the stadium, community and the team." Bagley: “I think, over time, that approach will win out. They’re good people." ALAN LEBENSFELD, an attorney in New Jersey representing those opposing the Wilfs in the case, said that the Wilfs' decision to press their appeal "could play out for at least another year and lead to more legal mudslinging that may or may not benefit the Wilfs' image" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/11).
